Post-Contract Updates

• GSR Support – For external grants already “in progress,” we anticipate a total shortage of approximately $15 million over the next three years, due to higher GSR and postdoc costs. PIs are expected to rebudget and/or use their discretionary funds wherever possible. When this does not fully cover the shortage, we will enable grant-funded PIs who are in need to apply for assistance. The Chancellor, the EVC and the academic VCs will jointly contribute up to $10 million to help departments and schools meet funding requests for mandated increases on covered positions on grants, so we can collaboratively preserve the strength of our research and graduate education programs.
  
• TA support – Due to the new higher TA rates, without additional funding the TA cohort would drop by 40% over the next three years; yet maintaining the full TA cohort size at the new rates is equally infeasible. In consultation with the Academic Senate, we have reached a workable solution: Starting in 2023-24, the Chancellor and EVC will fund the new higher TA rates, but for 15% fewer TAs in the schools and colleges. Please note that even this solution requires campus leadership to augment annual TA resources by about $12 million.
  
• Block Grant – The Fall 2023 Block Grant will be held stable, thus maintaining the Fall 2022 levels of funding. This will provide the schools predictable flexible funding to meet a variety of needs related to graduate support.

• A detailed FAQ resource was created, which can be found here. This FAQ also contains a link to submit questions you might have that are not yet addressed.
  
• An informational Town Hall was recently conducted and recorded. The recording is posted online and linked in the FAQ resource.
  
• At the Town Hall, the EVC presented slides that relay how we will cope with the modest impact of the new contracts on the budgets for Spring 2023, detail the approach for the 2023-24 “transition year,” and describe the goal of bringing together a Senate-Administration Workgroup to plan for the longer term. These slides are also linked in the FAQ.
  
• GEPA has reached out to all Deans, Chairs, and Graduate Program Coordinators providing updated guidance on how to write admission and financial offer letters.
  
• GEPA has scheduled meetings with Deans – who, in turn, will meet with Chairs – to discuss budgetary implications of the contracts. These discussions allow us all to collaborate on figuring out the right sizes for the Fall 2023 entering PhD/MFA cohorts, taking all resources and academic factors into account. In this way, programs can quickly return to the important work of admitting their next groups of students.
  
• GEPA has worked with Labor Relations, and other campus colleagues, to develop a set of guidelines for faculty members should they experience any disruptions due to future protests. These will be distributed via the Academic Affairs newsletter, and have also been shared with Deans, Chairs and Provosts.
  
• The Graduate Council, in partnership with GEPA, has begun the process of discussing the development of guidelines for faculty that will aid in the creation of augmented syllabi for 299/500-level courses that clarify their academic expectations and intended learning outcomes. Once the Graduate Council finishes this work, these guidelines will be shared.
  
• Senate Leadership and the Administration are currently drafting a charge for a Senate/Administration workgroup that will discuss strategies and priorities for rethinking funding allocation mechanisms, reimagining pedagogy, and sustaining a strong academic environment where graduate students will thrive.